Substitute Cash for Candy This Halloween - Encourage Physical Health & Financial Literacy, Urges the National Financial Educators Council

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National Financial Educators Council

Oct 26, 2017, 08:30 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Financial Educators Council encourages trick-or-treat givers, companies, and parents of trick-or-treaters to substitute cash for candy this year. The goal of the Cash for Candy initiative is to help people leverage Halloween as a teachable moment to share health and personal finance lessons with kids.

To address the financial illiteracy epidemic and improve overall wellness, the National Financial Educators Council developed the Substitute Cash for Candy campaign. The campaign objectives focus on raising awareness about the importance of molding healthy dietary and financial habits.

Learn more and access complimentary Cash for Candy resources at https://www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/cash-for-candy/

There are 3 groups of people who may participate in this activity-based financial education promotion:

1) Parents: Parents are encouraged to buy candy back from their children and use the opportunity to share financial literacy activities with your children.

2) Treat Givers: Substituting cash for candy. Kids like receiving money, and it provides an opportunity to encourage positive financial behaviors.

3) Companies: Companies are encouraged to participate purchase Halloween candy from children and pass out financial education resources.

Complimentary resources are provided to all 3 groups: worksheet and activities available for families who want to help mold positive financial behaviors in their children, activities for trick-or-treat givers, and brandable resources for organizations. All resources are provided to help families start teaching financial literacy.

Lack of personal finance knowledge, obesity, and nutrition-related illnesses among youth have reached all-time highs in our country. Today's kids are unlikely to be able to afford retirement when they reach their golden years. And according to a report published by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE), dietary problems cause more deaths each year than cigarette smoking, alcohol, and drugs combined.

The tradition of giving out candy at Halloween is relatively new. Before the 1950s, trick-or-treaters received a variety of gifts like fruit, nuts, cookies, toys, or money. Even during the 1960s, treats other than candy often appeared in Halloween bags. Research by The Atlantic indicates that it wasn't until the 1970s that candy manufacturers began a huge marketing push that led candy to take over the Halloween tradition.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and each of us has a responsibility when we're presented with the opportunity help kids grow up healthy," states NFEC's CEO Vince Shorb. "This Halloween, we thank those who contribute to the heath, financial security, and education of our nation's young people via the Substitute Cash for Candy campaign."

The National Financial Educators Council introduced the Cash for Candy campaign last year to help families teach kids about money. People that participate in the campaign have found most kids prefer cash over candy. Chuck Jaffe, personal finance columnist for MarketWatch and host of the show MoneyLife shared the results of his participation last year. "Fifty took envelopes. Four took candy. Two got there too late, and were hoping the kids just in front of them would take candy so they could get the last envelopes. They wound up disappointed by candy, which one of them noted was 'kind of weird, because I'm out here trying to get candy.'"

The National Financial Educators Council is a financial education service provider, industry advocate, and thought leader. The NFEC is committed to providing communities access to high-quality financial literacy resources and deployment of a nationwide network of finance speakers so people become better equipped to make qualified financial decisions that improve their lives. Promoting advocacy campaigns designed to encourage overall physical and financial wellness is aligned with the NFEC's mission to help people make informed financial decisions.

Media Contact:
Trevor Stoll
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[email protected]

SOURCE National Financial Educators Council